Historical Sketch of Eastover

The Town of Eastover develop from established Antebellum plantations in the Lower Richland County area. Plantations such as Goodwill, Bellaire, Hook-Elliott, and Singleton, which is now known as Kensington Plantation, were spared from General William T. Sherman’s torch at the end of the Civil War through the pleas of Singleton’s mother-in law who convinced a solider that she was living alone. The Kensington House stayed in Singleton’s hands until 1910 when it was sold to Robert Hamer of Dillion, South Carolina. He in turn sold it to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used in a boil weevil experiment program. With the start of World War II, however, the government dropped the program and sold the Kensington House to the N.C. Lanhan family who sold it to Union Camp Corporation. The Kensington Plantation still exists today and has been restored. For almost a century, Kensington was a social center for southern belles, general farmers, and horseman. The house no longer stands in ghostly silence on acreage that once raised horses, cattle, and grew cotton; today Union Camp Corporation has built a six hundred- million-dollar paper mill and has restore the Kensington Plantation to the beautiful place it is today.

The Town is called Eastover because it is over the East of the Congaree. Another tradition is that the Town received its name because of its location East of “Western Place?” Dr. Wilford J. Rivers, one of its earliest settlers, claimed that the name of the Town was based upon the fact that people in the community always said that they lived “East of Columbia.” The Town is approximately twenty mile southeast of Columbia. It covers an area of one square mile and has access to U.S. Highways 378 and 601. The tracks of the Seaboard Cost Line Railroad run through the heart of the Town with the Wateree River flowing less than four miles from the Town limits.

The charter was issued to the municipality of Eastover on December 24, 1880, and a certificate of incorporation on March 7, 1907. The first Eastover Municipal election was held on March 6, 1907 with sixteen voters participating, They voted first in favor of a corporation; second that the proposed name of the Town of Eastover, third, that E.C. Touchberry become Intendent and the T.H. Auld. H.G. Bates J.C. Eason, and W.D. Woodard become wardens. There were sixteen voters at this time, all of whom voted in favor of the above mentioned.

The first known magistrate was Mr. Chalk who served in 1918. Among the many business merchants were Mr. T.H. Auld, Mr. Johns King, Mr. J.A. Amon’s, Mr. Jeff Scott, Mr. Karsee, and Mr. McKenzie. The first bank was known as the Mercantile Bank; the first postmaster was Mr. Mclaughlin followed by Mr. Ross, Mr. McKenzie, Mr. Everett Rye, Mr. J.S. Collins, and Mrs. Catherine Dunn. The first doctors in Eastover were Dr. Hooks and Dr. G.D Stewart who served the community faithfully.

The first schools in this area Eastover Elementary School for whites and St. Phillips School for blacks. The St. Phillip School was located about a mile and half east of the Town of Eastover. This building as destroyed by fire, and the school was restored on the land where Webber School now stands, Education has played a Major role in the development of Eastover. Past and Present educators included: Professor E.A. Barnwell, J.E. Craig, Mrs. Gertrude Woodard, Mrs. Stuckey, Mrs. Esther Barnwell, Mrs. Evangeline Joyner, Mrs. Emma Butler, Mrs. Beatrice Patterson, Mrs. Lucille Finch, Mrs. Rachel Cook, Mrs., Annie Mae
Robinson, Mrs. Alice Scott, Rev. L.H. Robinson, Mrs. Eva Cheeseboro, Mrs. Janie Sims and Mrs. Sara Henderson. Certainly, the influence of these educators continues to be felt in our Town and Community.

The churches established within the community include Eason Memorial, Mt. Zion Baptist, St. Phillip A.M.E., St. Luke A.M.E., Mt. Nebo Baptist, Antioch AMEZ, Mt. Oliver Baptist, St. Matthew Baptist, Shiloh A.M.E., Prayer and Bible Study, Unity Evangelistic Church and Zion Episcopal. Religion is and always has been a common force among the people of Eastover and serves as a bond that created unity, truth and understanding in the coming years of growth.

The Town of Eastover has a Mayor Council form of government which consists of a Mayor and four Councilpersons. This form of government was introduced on March 1976 and adopted on April 6, 1976. The Mayor is elected for a term of four years, and two of the councilpersons are elected for four years. The two remaining councilpersons served for two years. January 12, 2004 Mayor and Council revised the ordinance to read Mayor and Council shall serve for terms of four (4) years (staggered). That in the first election held the largest number of votes shall serve terms of four (4) years and the two candidates receiving the next largest numbers of votes shall serve terms of two (2) years. The Town of Eastover has experience slight but consistent population increases during the past years. In 1950 for example, the Town’ s population was 564; by 1970 it had reached 817. The 1980 census showed that there were 898 people living in Eastover, Now, with the construction of Sunny Acres, Babcock Center, and new homes in the Town limits, our population is over 1,100 and with the projection of new industry in the Town, our population will increase even more.

The following known Police Chiefs have served the Town of Eastover: Raymond Williams, Nathaniel Williams, Deron Trentyon, Kynerra Capers, Gusto Castor, Timothy Ford, Jonathan Henry, Sr., Joe White, Fred Spivey (Constable), Louis McMillian, Thomas Scott, Willie Campbell, Herbert Bradley and Derrick Price.

The following Mayors have served the Town of Eastover: Arthur Harbort, Rev, Coy Muckle, Earl Campbell, and Lewis N. Scott 221/2 years, Christopher Campbell 2000-2006 Interim Mayor Pro-Temporal Odell Weston 2006-2008, Leroy Faber 2008-2012, and Mayor Geraldene Robinson, 1995-200 and re-elected 2012-2020.

Eastover has many resources such as: the Richland County Public Library, Sky Light Mission, International Paper, Fire Department, Recreational Park, and Sewer and water System. Some of the Town’s dreams of ten years ago, has been obtained, but future dreams of the Town includes having the Town’s Municipal Center and Transportation Division, the Senior Citizen Center on Henry Street, and having a Job Training/Multi-Purpose Center in the Town of Eastover.